Carolina Herrera CH Men Grand Tour Review: A Discontinued Gem Worth The Hunt?
Your definitive guide to this rare and adventurous scent from Carolina Herrera.
In the world of fragrance, some scents are fleeting. They arrive, make an impression, and vanish from shelves, leaving behind a trail of loyal followers and a legend whispered about on forums. Carolina Herrera CH Men Grand Tour is one such fragrance. Launched in 2014 as a limited edition, it was designed to be a temporary journey, not a permanent destination. Today, we're dissecting this elusive scent to give you the hard facts: what it smells like, how it performs, and whether it’s worth tracking down on the secondary market.
Before we break down the notes and performance, let's establish the context. The original CH Men, launched in 2009, was a runaway success for Carolina Herrera. It mastered the formula of sweet, leathery, and masculine, becoming a staple for many. The brand, like most designer houses, capitalized on this success with a series of flankers. The "Grand Tour" collection was a themed release, with versions for both men and women, inspired by the golden age of travel.
The concept for CH Men Grand Tour was specific: a luxurious, old-world train journey across South America. The marketing evoked images of vintage leather luggage, exotic landscapes, and the spirit of adventure. The fragrance aimed to capture this essence in a bottle, moving away from the sugary sweetness of the original and toward a more aromatic, spicy, and ruggedly sophisticated profile. It wasn't just a tweaked version of the original; it was a reinterpretation of the CH Man's character—less of a nightclub regular, more of a worldly explorer.
Because it was a limited edition, its time on retail shelves was short. It never achieved the mass-market saturation of its predecessor. Instead, it built a cult following among fragrance enthusiasts who appreciated its unique take on the leather genre. Today, it’s a discontinued fragrance, meaning you won’t find it at your local department store. It exists on reseller sites and in the collections of dedicated hobbyists, often fetching a price far higher than its original retail value. This review determines if the hype—and the price tag—are justified.
The Nose Behind the Scent
The perfumer for this limited edition flanker is officially uncredited by Carolina Herrera. This is a common practice for flankers, but the creation was likely overseen by Puig's in-house team or perfumers from a major fragrance house like Givaudan or Firmenich, who were responsible for other creations in the CH Men line.
Accords
Notes Pyramid
Scent Journey
The initial 30 minutes are defined by a unique, dry, and herbal yerba maté note, complemented by a subtle smokiness from incense and a fleeting touch of grapefruit. It's an aromatic and sophisticated opening that immediately sets it apart from mainstream fragrances.
After the opening, the fragrance transitions into a warm and spicy heart. Well-blended notes of nutmeg and cinnamon emerge, providing warmth without being overwhelming. The herbal quality of the maté lingers, creating a complex and inviting bridge to the base.
The final phase, from 4 hours onward, is a smooth, luxurious blend of soft suede and rich mahogany wood. A hint of tonka bean adds a touch of creamy sweetness to balance the composition, leaving a warm, leathery, and woody skin scent.
Performance Dashboard
Lasts a solid 6-7 hours on skin. The final hours are a more intimate scent, but it has respectable staying power for an EDT.
Projects at arm's length for the first 1.5-2 hours before settling closer to the skin. It's noticeable without being intrusive.
Leaves a moderate, soft trail that is detectable by those in your immediate vicinity. It is not a room-filler.
When to Wear
Community Verdict
Receives more 'intriguing' and 'unique' compliments rather than mass-appealing ones. It's a scent that gets noticed by those with a discerning taste.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Highly unique scent profile with a prominent yerba maté note.
- ✅ Sophisticated and masculine without being overpowering.
- ✅ Excellent blend of aromatic, spicy, and suede accords.
- ✅ Discontinued status makes it a rare and exclusive scent to own.
- ❌ Discontinued and very difficult to find.
- ❌ High price on the secondary/reseller market.
- ❌ Performance is moderate, not 'beast mode'.
- ❌ The unique maté note can be polarizing for some.
Price & Value
“Worth the high price only for serious collectors or those who desperately want a unique signature scent. For most buyers, better value exists elsewhere.”
Who It's For
✅ Ideal For
- Men aged 25-50
- Individuals with a confident, sophisticated style
- Fragrance enthusiasts looking for a unique leather scent
- Those who appreciate aromatic and spicy profiles
⚠️ Not Recommended For
- Fans of fresh, aquatic, or 'blue' fragrances
- Anyone seeking a very loud, beast-mode performer
- Buyers on a strict budget due to its high secondary market price
The Family
A popular flanker focusing on boozy whiskey and a stronger leather note.
The original fragrance, known for its signature 'sugary leather' DNA.
Another travel-themed limited edition with notes of coffee and blue sage.
A fresher, greener limited edition flanker with a focus on ginger and tea.
Explore More
🔍 Similar Fragrances
Shares a similar spicy, leathery, and slightly smoky character, though it is much stronger and boozier.
Evokes a similar adventurous, green-and-leather feeling, but uses juniper instead of maté and is in a much higher price bracket.
Offers a comparable blend of warm spices, leather, and tonka bean, making it a great, accessible alternative for cooler weather.
💡 Clone Alternatives
Due to its limited edition nature and unique yerba maté note, direct clones are not widely produced or recognized in the fragrance community.
While not a clone, it offers a similarly warm, sweet, and comforting vibe in the drydown at a fraction of the cost, focusing on tobacco and honey.
❤️ You May Also Enjoy
Shares a sophisticated, high-quality leather accord, though with a prominent iris note.
Another designer fragrance that blends leather with smooth, sweet notes (vanilla and iris).
Features a prominent cherry, almond, and leather combination that appeals to those who like unique, sophisticated, and sweet-leaning masculine scents.
More from Carolina Herrera
🧪 Layering Ideas
- A simple vanilla fragrance to enhance the sweetness of the tonka bean in the drydown.
- Molecule 01 (Iso E Super) to boost the mahogany and woody facets.
- A light, non-animalic musk to add depth and extend the longevity of the suede base.
🏆 Final Verdict
Carolina Herrera CH Men Grand Tour is an expertly crafted fragrance that successfully delivered on its concept of a South American adventure. Its blend of aromatic yerba maté, warm spices, and smooth suede is both unique and wearable, setting it apart from the sea of generic men's fragrances. It is sophisticated, masculine, and memorable.
The primary obstacle is its status as a discontinued limited edition. The high price and difficulty in finding a bottle make it a challenging proposition. If you are a collector, a die-hard fan of the CH Men line, or someone who places a high premium on wearing a rare and distinctive scent, then hunting down a bottle is a worthy endeavor. It's a piece of fragrance history that still holds up today.
However, for the practical buyer seeking a reliable daily driver, the cost and effort are likely not justifiable. There are other excellent spicy-leather fragrances on the market that are readily available and offer better value for money. CH Men Grand Tour is a beautiful fragrance, a successful experiment, and a true collector's gem. Whether it belongs in your collection depends entirely on your budget and your passion for the hunt.